Animal Protection Expo - Equine Sessions and CEC's

Hello, Would your organization be willing to promote the 21st Annual Animal Protection Conference And Expo? There are sessions devoted to Equine law, abuse and care as well as for dogs, cats and rabbits and other companion animals. www.animalprotectionexpo.org Oct. 18-20 in partnership with the GVMA. Thank you Susan M. Bova

Weeds in pasture

We have a small pasture - about 1.5 acres. Three horses: aged Arabian mare, very dainty; older retired QH mare and an 8 yr. old, lame QH mare- very robust at 1,100 #. Hay is the main food. We buy good hay from the same person who supplies ISU's horse barn. The pasture is an amenity for the old horses to stretch, sleep and graze a little. We have no tractor. We hire a mower twice a year. We hand dig chickory, ragweed, and annual asters. Since roadside mowing is now minimized, Yellow and Green Foxtail that grows lavishly in the neighbor's hay field now covers the highway ROW and on his unmanaged land. The Foxtail is now in our pasture. I've spot sprayed with Grassout. Instead of killing the foxtail, it acted like a Plant Growth Regulator and caused early seed set on 3" high stems. I would still like to keep the pasture open for the horses to use. When we are in drought conditions, we do not allow any access. Frankly, the horses prefer to stay in their barn, on the rubber mats, under the cross breeze of the two large fans as they eat Wade Feurings great hay. Now that the white sweet clover, red clover other grasses (timothy, brome, fescues, annual rye and some Big Bluestem and Side Oats from the prairie are growing post-rainfall, we allow horses to access the pasture for about 2 hours a day. Is there a better method for controlling Foxtail? Must we kill every area where it exists with glyphosate? We also find that having our other neighbor apply the very well composted manure holds soil moisture, and helps the grasses flourish. We are wondering if we have a very deep layer of compost placed over the now very short plant growth regulator impacted Foxtail will suppress/smoother it? We can then just plant a mix of pasture grasses and prairie seed right into the compost. What is the earliest time that I could have the compost put on the pasture? We usually wait until November, but ... if we could get the Foxtail covered, I could sow seeds now and they would have a good start. I'd also like to top dress some of the other areas with compost. In times of unstable weather, having that compost is even more critical than ever. The horses are well-loved by us, but are also visited by two Hospice Nurses who just enjoy brushing them; local kids who have parents in the military and ... some of my students who experience home sickness and need some pet therapy. Many people believe that dogs are the natural empathic experts. Horses are also very astute in identifying which people need attention. We are getting rather old to keep up this regime, but... it makes it worthwhile because on the grander scheme of community - many people benefit from these good, big friends. Thanks, Danielle Wirth

Safer method of leading a horse Not a question but a view from the experts, please

I have noted many people lead a horse on a halter only, recently I noted a handler trying to lunge a horse on a halter. Leading a horse on a halter outside of confined yard is fraught with danger.
If the animal takes fright and then decides flight you have no hope at all of controlling that horse.
I have seen this happen and I have had it happen to myself. It can and often does lead to injury to the handler.
A halter should only be used when leading in a confined space i.e yard to yard. A halter should also be used to tether a horse on its own or in conjunction with a bridle to avoid damage to the bridle. When I lead a horse in an open area I always use a bridle with a double clip lead. If I have a halter over the top of the bridle, I use two methods. A single clip lead, I thread the lead through the bridle mouthpiece D Ring or the egg yoke ring, then clip on to the halter. If I use a double clip lead, I clip one latch onto the ring of the bridle mouth piece, the second latch is clipped onto the halter. Both methods give far more control over the head. Always, always use gloves when leading a horse, when a horse starts to get away on you and the lead rips through your hand, nasty rope burns can happen. When that happens, goodness knows were the horse will career of to?

foaling dureing a full moon

does foaling take place more during the full moon phase

Eating disorder

I have a horse that will lay down and roll approximately 5 to 10 minutes after he has started to eat. After he rolls back and forth he will lay their for a few minutes ,gets up and finishes eating. Sometimes he passes gas. He does this after each feeding. He eats a grass-alfalfa mix. Without xrays do u have any suggestions. could enteroliths cause this? Thank you.

coastal hay

My pony was tested and is alergic to bermuda grass! Is this the same as coastal bermuda hay?

breyer customizing

how can you remove a breyer mane that is lying flat on the horses neck?

Horse pasture clover

I have a little more than an acre of max q grass it gets invested by clover An my horse has cushings An can’t have clover I have tried 24d An got desperate enough to use roundup in heavy spots but it kills the grass An it comes up next to the bald spots what can I use to kill out the clover an save what grass I have left I live in Jarales new mexico

getting the mare in the mood

In race horses a stallion is sometimes put in a stall next to the mare to 'get her in the mood' for breeding. the mare is then taken to the stallion that is to do the work.
What is the name of the 'preparation stallion'?

Use of Bosals in 4-h shows

My niece is showing her horse. He is 18 years old & has always been ridden in a bosal, but since the Iowa 4-h guidelines don't allow bosals to be used in shows at his age, we now must either get him to use a bit or not show him in the performance classes. Is it really worth taking him out of the bosal, which he listens to & respects? I feel that forcing horses to use a bit when they respond better without them, is unfair to the horse & the 4-h exhibitor. Especially if forcing a bit makes the horse unsafe or less comfortable. We will try to find a bit that will work for him, but is there anything that can be done now or in the future to change this rule? Thank you